(i) Technical Field
The present invention relates to a roller-shaped rotator, a fixing device, and an image forming apparatus.
(ii) Related Art
In an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, a toner is applied to a latent image formed by a difference in electrostatic potential to be visualized, and the formed toner image is transferred to a recording sheet. Then, the toner image is fixed to the recording sheet by a fixing device. As the fixing device, a device which has a heated fixing member and a pressurizing member to be brought into press contact with the fixing member and in which a recording sheet retaining a toner image is interposed between the fixing member and the pressurizing member to be heated and pressurized is widely used. As the fixing member and the pressurizing member, roller-shaped members are used and pressed against each other to be rotationally driven. Besides, use of an endless belt is also proposed.
In order for the fixing device to sufficiently heat and pressurize a recording sheet retaining a toner, it is desired to efficiently heat the fixing member, and to bring the fixing member and the pressurizing member into press contact with each other over a wide range in the circumferential direction. In addition, it is desired to reduce a heat capacity in order to reduce the time required to heat the fixing member to a temperature that enables fixation when starting fixing operation. In order to address such issues, an endless belt is occasionally used as the fixing member or the pressurizing member.